Celtics Win Eastern Conference: Bring On The Lakers!

Before I start, I want to thank the Papa Joe radio show (KLAV, 1230 out of Las Vegas) for having me on today to discuss the “honorable” Senator from the great state of Comcast, Arlen Specter. 

It was fun, my first time on a radio show as a guest.  Nerve racking, but fun.

They should have a link to the show on their site tomorrow.  If you get a chance to listen, let me know how I did.

8:39 PM:  Rip Hamilton is playing, which is big for Detroit.  We’ll see how he does.

Hey, the Pistons won the tip for the first time this series.  They must be serious.

8:42 PM:  Ray Allen missed a three, but at least he shot the ball.

First foul of the game…on Rondo.

Billups missed…that’s odd.

By the way, I’m halfway through my first Sam Adams Boston Ale, and Ray Allen just drained a three!!   Good signs everywhere early!

8:44 PM:  By the way, I still haven’t accepted Ray Allen back into the Big Three, nor have I fixed my keyboard yet.

Two minutes and twenty four seconds of basketball, four called fouls.  Here we go.

8:46 PM:  If Rondo ever learned to finish, he’d be a pretty good offensive player.

He can get to the rim as well as anyone, but he just can’t finish.

Both teams missing shots early, by the way.

Somewhere, the Lakers are smiling.

8:49 PM:  I’m a huge Paul Pierce fan.  I’m rooting for him to play well in this game, and should they advance, in the NBA Finals in the hopes that Boston fans will finally realize what they have in him.

He’s an underrated defender, a scorer, and a guy who’s not afraid to take big shots.

Put it this way, if Kevin Garnett had Paul Pierce’s mentality, he’d be the best player in NBA history.  Pierce doesn’t have Kobe’s talent or Garnett’s physical tools, but he’s a gamer who isn’t afraid of anything.

Point is, Paul Pierce deserves some props.

8:54 PM: The Pistons can’t seem to hit a shot right now, which is entirely fantastic.

And Wallace is already angry at the officials, which is also fantastic.

8:57 PM: In an elimination game, how are the Piston being beaten to rebounds?

Don’t sense the urgency I expected out of the Pistons thus far, which would annoy me to great lengths if I were a Pistons fan.

When they turned it on in the fourth quarter Wednesday, they were great.  But it was too late.

Here’s to hoping they wait too long tonight as well.

9:05 PM:  I’m shocked.  The officials got one right.

Shot clock violation to basically end the first quarter.  Why baseball doesn’t have replay for homeruns is beyond me…

I agree with Bill Simmons by the way, Doc Rivers is the Grady Little of the Boston Celtics.

Which scares the crap out of me.

(by the way, for everyone that accuses me of ripping off Bill Simmons, I had that comparison in an article I wrote back in the Hawks series…thank you very much…don’t see me complaining)

9:08 PM: Beer one down, beer two open.  Cigar one lit.

9:11 PM: Ugh…Sam Cassell time.

If the Pistons could hit a shot, they’d be up ten right now.

My best Tommy Heinsohn:  WAY TO GO PERK!

9:14 PM:  Rip Hamilton is acting like he’s dead again.  Sissy.

RAY ALLEN FOR THREE!

(still not back in the Big Three)

9:20 PM:  The Celtics are draining threes.  Cautiously optimistic right now.

9:29 PM: Garnett needs to start hitting shots.

The Pistons are starting to show some desperation, and they’re starting to get the loose balls.

Bad sign for Boston…still up by one though.

Rip Hamilton is playing awfully well right now.  Garnett now has three fouls.

Thank YOU, officials.

9:36 PM: Leon Powe with the shot and the foul!   It’s amazing how he worked his way into my good graces this year.  He was  on my most hated player list coming into this season.

Yes, it was an irrational hatred, but it was there.  Now I actually enjoy watching him.

Made the foul shot too…

Eddie House needs to make a late first half appearance…

Two point game, by the way (I typed this before the second Billups free throw…he’s money).

Billups is having himself a game so far…18 points in the first half?

Missed the free throw, so I rule.

9:42 PM:  Game’s still close, which means the second half might be stressful. That in mind, beer two down…beer three open.

Useless Halftime Stat:  Radio Appearances by Bleacher Report’s Sean Crowe: 1

Second Useless Halftime Stat: Bryan Thiel somehow passed me in articles written and is now up to 109…assuming he hasn’t written another one since I started this running diary thing.    That’s a ridiculous amount of output for Bleacher Report’s resident hockey expert.  I’m impressed, and at the same time embarrassed that he’s beating me.

I am a slacker.  No excuse for still being under 100 articles.

I’m far less annoyed with the officials tonight, which means they’re either doing a decent job or I’ve become desensitized to their incompetence.

Or it’s the beer and cigars…either way.

10:00 PM:  The first five minutes of the third quarter is critical to the Pistons.  They need to come out fast, pumped out, aggressive, etc.

They have to take charge of this game.   If they’re down going into the fourth quarter, the pressure of an elimination game kicks in.

If they’re up, the pressure turns on the Celtics..who want nothing to do with a game seven against this Detroit team.

10:07 PM: Billups is just abusing Rondo right now, and Pierce looks like he’s trying to take the game over offensively.

Good  start for both teams, save the ridiculous turnover by Detroit.

Wallace has been AWFUL.  Looks like a bigger version of Sam Cassell tonight.

Just scored his first points of the game…

10:11 PM: Wallace is trying to get his seventh technical of the playoffs…I appreciate the effort.

Rondo is trying to blow the game…not sure I appreciate that.

10:12 PM:  Wallace just elbowed Garnett, so obviously they whistled Garnett for his fourth foul.  Then T’d up Perk for no good reason…

Fantastic.

Make up call on Wallace, making it his fourth foul as well .

Fantastic.

I hate NBA officials.

10:15 PM:  Rondo is a liability right now.  Eddie House should be in this game.

He has left Billups open for threes at least four times.  Inexcusable.

One point game….

It seems like the Celtics are playing better, yet the Pistons are right there.  Not a good sign.

10:16 PM:  Lost track of the beer count, but one more down…one more open.

10:19 PM: Prince just hit the biggest shot of the season for Detroit…then Pierce came right back with an answer on the other end.

Tie game.  I need more beer.

10:21 PM: The officials have taken over the game…four fouls for Rondo, four fouls for  Garnett, and four for Wallace.

Can’t stand the NBA.

Hey, Cassell hit a shot!

I’m as shocked as he is.

10:24 PM:  The Pistons are going to win this game….ANOTHER offensive foul on Boston.

This is frigging ridiculous.  The foul was called away from the ball, and took a layup away from Pierce.

There is NO WAY that call is made back when the NBA wasn’t run by Vince McMahon in the eighties.

One half of OK officiating, one quarter of awful officiating….I guess we’re even.

10:29 PM:  There are now three guys on the Celtics with four fouls.

I’m speechless right now.

10:30 PM:  That foul on Pierce, which should have been a four point play, was the worst call I’ve ever seen.

Ever.

I’m completely and utterly speechless.

HORRIBLE.  AWFUL.  The worst thing I’ve ever seen.  Ever.

I’m trying really hard not to swear right now.

10:32 PM:  I’ve had two minutes to reflect.  Still the worst call I’ve ever seen.

I could have handled a non-call, or even a travel, but an offensive foul?

Worst call EVER.

10:34 PM: The third quarter ends.

That was the worst officiated quarter of the playoffs.

David Stern should resign for putting these pathetic officials into a playoff situation.

I have never seen anything like this…ever.

10:38 PM:  If Flip were honest, especially after all the bitching he’s done about the officials, he would have given them credit for the Piston’s comeback.

Of course, he’s not honest….

Gotta love all the game seven commercials….almost as if the outcome of this game was predetermined….

ANOTHER offensive foul on Boston.  This is getting too obvious.

10:41 PM:  The Celtics can’t play defense right now.  The officials have taken away their aggressiveness.

The entire team is in foul trouble…

10:42 PM: AND another foul on Boston….

…not to beat a dead horse…

10:43 PM: AND another foul on Boston…

…not to beat a dead horse…

10:44 PM: The officials seem to think Wallace is playing for Boston.  They’re taking him completely out of his game as well.

Guess he shouldn’t have called them out after game five.

Have I mentioned yet how much I  hate the NBA officials?

They’re making this a game to see who can avoid foul trouble, instead of a classic elimination game between two great teams.  David Stern’s NBA is absolute garbage, and it has nothing to do with the players.

They need to clean-house this offseason and replace almost all of their officials.  I can’t deal with this for another season.

10:49 PM: Garnett has a chance to take this game over…it’s time for him to prove he’s the great player we all think he is.

Win the game, KG.  Win the game.

10:52 PM:  Pierce…love ya…but MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS!

Tie game.

I need more beer.

10:54 PM: I agree with dorkus the ESPN announcer…I want Garnett on the block.

PIERCE WITH THE SHOT AND THE FOUL!!!

Good God, Tommy Heinsohn just passed out.

10:55 PM: Maxiell is having the fourth quarter of his life…if the Pistons win, Wallace needs to buy him a car or something.

11:01 PM:  Can’t type right now…back after game…or when I get feeling back in my hands….

Five fouls on Garnett…by the way.

Pierce needs to take over….

11:03 PM:   RONDO!!!   RONDO!!!!

Good God!  I’m about to explode!

A 23 – 6 run for the Celtics!!! 

Holy crap….

2:31 to go…

11:07 PM:  Billups is a God, by the way…

11:08 PM: James Posey just made the biggest play of the season…that steal was….

I LOVE JAMES POSEY!!!

Of course, Doc took him out of the game…

11:10 PM:  Good God….the Celtics are going to do it.

Perkins with a huge block, Billups with an almost airball…Celtics with the ball, the lead, and a time out.

My God…I’ve been a huge Celtics fan since 1990.  I’ve never been a fan of the Celtics when they’ve played in an NBA Finals.

Just over a minute away…….

11:13 PM:  36.6 Seconds left….six point lead….Garnett on the line.

Good lord….

11:14 PM:  Garnett was hyperventilating and bricked both free throws.  Might not matter.

One more defensive stop…then get the ball into Pierce or Allen’s hands…

11:16 PM:  WALLACE MISSED!!! If Pierce makes one free throw, it’s time to BRING ON LA!!!

GAME OVER! 

BEAT L A!

BEAT L A!

BEAT L A!

I’ll be back when I sober up with a preview of the NBA Finals!

Beat L A!

Sean Crowe is a Senior Writer at Bleacher Report. You can email him at [e-mail].  His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.